The State has refused permission to Dalit leaders to hold a protest march or even to enter the city until after December 6, Ambedkar’s 50th death anniversary.
NAGPUR: Nagpur has become a no-entry zone for Dalit leaders in the wake of violent protests over the killing of a family in Kherlanji and the desecration of an Ambedkar statue in Kanpur.
The State has refused permission to Dalit leaders to hold a protest march or even to enter the city until after December 6, Ambedkar’s 50th death anniversary.
Brinda Karat, CPI(M) politburo member, has also been denied entry into Nagpur. The Nagpur police have served notices to these leaders under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
The police have arrested local Dalit leaders under the Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Slumlords, Drug Offenders and Dangerous Persons Act, sources said.
Unprecedented security arrangements have been made in view of the Dalit protest planned on the opening day of the winter session of the legislature here on Monday.
Last week, four people were killed, the Deccan Queen and a Mumbai local train were burnt, and about 100 buses destroyed across the state.
While some leaders are adamant on holding a rally, others have planned a peace meet at Deekshabhoomi ground, where Ambedkar his followers converted to Buddhism in 1956.
Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh told the media, “Dalit leaders have been requested not to take out a morcha, but in case they organise one, strict measures will be taken to ensure law and order.”
“If there’s anything left to be heard, the assembly is the best platform… We’ve met all their demands including handing over the probe to the CBI and setting up of a fast track court,” the CM added.
So the contours of the two-week assembly session are clear: The killings in Kherlanji and subsequent violence will dominate the proceedings, pushing the continuing farmers’ suicides to the background.
“We will bring an adjournment motion over the incident and its mishandling on the first day of the session,” opposition leaders Ramdas Kadam (Shiv Sena) and Gopinath Munde (BJP) said on Sunday.
Boycotting the chief minister’s customary tea party, the Shiv Sena-BJP opposition said the “Vilasrao Deshmukh-government has failed miserably on all fronts”.
The CM smiled in retort: “The government is ready for debate on any issue,”
However, it is clear that the opposition and Dalit leaders will try to corner Deputy Chief Minister RR Patil, who also holds the home portfolio. In fact, on Sunday, RPI leaders demanded that Patil be made a co-accused in the Kherlanji case.
“I am lucky they did not ask for capital punishment,” Patil said, smiling.
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